Critics tear their hair over Malaysia PM’s wife

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) – The wife of Malaysia’s prime minister, who is widely mocked over reports of her taste for luxury, drew fresh scorn on Tuesday after she complained about the rising cost of house calls from hairdressers and tailors.

Rosmah Mansor, 63, is a controversial figure in Malaysia, where she is routinely portrayed by critics as out of touch with ordinary citizens struggling to make ends meet. The wife of Prime Minister Najib Razak handed her critics new fuel with comments on Monday lamenting the RM1,200 she has to spend on house calls by stylists to dye her substantial head of hair, and RM500 for tailored dresses.

“We have to make beautiful clothes to attend functions, but the prices are way too high. For those who can afford, it’s all right. But what about housewives like us, with no income?” she was quoted as saying by the Malaysian Insider news portal.

Malaysia’s minimum wage is RM900 per month, though critics say it is seldom enforced. Rosmah made the comments at a public event to discuss the introduction of a new consumer tax in April.

Wife of Malaysian Prime Minister who is also the president of BAKTI, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor tossing the ‘yee sang’ during a lunch session in conjunction with the Chinese New Year celebrations with senior citizens, OKU (disabled people) and orphans organised by YTL Corporation Bhd and BAKTI, Feb 24 – BERNAMA

“Is this woman for real? Some families have to live on what she pays to have her hair dyed,” said one Facebook user, among a flood of social media postings poking fun at her on Tuesday. Said a post on Twitter: “I hope to become a poor housewife of a civil servant just like you Rosmah.”

Since her husband took office in 2009, Rosmah has faced periodic criticism over reports of luxury overseas shopping sprees.